Parliament

Labour’s fox hunting ban was a landmark piece of legislation, part of the animal welfare revolution led by the last Labour Government. I’m still really proud that we outlawed hunting with hounds in the face of fierce opposition from the Tories who have repeatedly promised to call a vote in parliament to bring this barbarous practice back. But the experience of those 14 years have taught us how we …

This week I hosted an event in Parliament with Citizens UK on our ongoing campaign for sports clubs and venues to pay the real Living Wage. I got involved with the Living Wage Foundation campaign years ago as a trade union lawyer and have been working with Citizens Cymru in Cardiff aiming to persuade Cardiff City FC and the Principality Stadium to join …

Despite occasional frustration and my anger at the legacy of sex discriminatory salaries exposed by our DCMS Select Committee recently, I value the BBC enormously. But I’m increasingly worried about its future because of the Government’s cuts to its funding. In the age of disinformation and fake news, the principles and ethics of public service broadcasting become ever more important. …

I will be voting against the Prime Minister’s Brexit Deal on Tuesday 15th January. Here’s my speech in the debate where I explain why I oppose her deal, oppose Brexit and call for revocation of Article 50 now or through a second public vote. https://www.facebook.com/JoStevensLabour/videos/380919269324323/

Before Christmas I signed a letter to the Prime Minister alongside over 200 cross party Members of Parliament urging Theresa May to rule out leaving the European Union without a deal (Full letter below). More MPs are signing the letter every day. The Prime Minister is currently trying to use the threat of no deal to bully MPs into accepting …

In May this year I joined with consumer group Which? calling for banks to end rip off unarranged overdraft fees. I’m delighted that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has now agreed that banks will no longer be able to charge higher prices for people who go over their arranged overdraft limit. These fees most often hit those who can least afford them and contribute to people entering a vicious spiral …

The uncertainty around Brexit continues this week in Parliament, with the government having postponed a vote on the Prime Minister’s negotiated deal due to be taken on Tuesday 11th December. I took the opportunity to ask why, if the Prime Minister is allowed to change her mind from the morning to the afternoon, her government will not agree to a …

There are 370,000 carers across Wales who provide £8.1 billion worth of care to their friends and family every year. 96% of the care provided in Wales is provided by relatives and friends. Many carers that I meet in Cardiff Central feel locked out of employment opportunities by a lack of flexible working opportunities. 52% of those caring for a person with disabilities are denied requests to work flexibly and 72% of carers would …

Last week I joined with 68 other Members of Parliament from across the political spectrum to call on the Government to ban the importing of hunting trophies. Hunting trophies are body parts (often the head) taken from animals that have been shot and killed by trophy hunters. These hunters often focus on the magnificent and endangered animals of Sub-Saharan Africa such …

Today in Parliament I spoke in a Westminster Hall debate on the future of the Shared Prosperity Fund. After we leave the EU the Fund is meant to replace the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund that have provided billions of pounds to Wales. Despite its importance it has been assigned to the England-focused Department for Housing …